Simply Forgotten
by BattleAubergine
Summary: 'Sitting there shivering on the bank, I realized I had wasted my time waiting for him; I had wasted 80 years of waiting on the river bank waiting for him to come.'


Sitting there shivering on the bank, I realized I had wasted my time waiting for him; I had wasted 80 years of waiting on the river bank waiting for him to come. He never did though, broke my heart many a time over, and still wouldn't come- no matter how I begged and pleaded him to come back to me. I had brought my children here and in turn my grandchildren and I suppose that, if I live long enough my great-grandchildren, but they didn't seem to care about the river, about its infinite little intricate whirlpools and how it got deep right up close to shore but if you wanted to catch fish the best spot was on the opposing bank by the reeds. But I guess old people don't get any respect anymore. Not when you have a brand new electronic game ready for uploading on your fancy whatcha-ma-call-em's… the thing build into your glasses that only need you to wiggle your thumb to play, those things.

A sudden strong breeze blew through knocking my shawl off into the river. "Oh dear, I seem to have lost my shawl. You like doing that don't you, Taking things from me and never returning them, because if you take my heart away, what's to stop you from taking my shawl as well? Oh well no use getting it back its already too wet and too far down the river you great prude. Yes I'm talking to you mister. I've come here almost daily for eighty years waiting for you and you still stand me up you insufferable... insufferable prude." I often talked to the river, gave him a piece of my mind and the local gossip too, but it was mostly who married who, how my children, and grandchildren (when they came along) were doing. I rubbed my rough callused and bent arthritis-ridden hands together and grasped my stick and prepared myself to get up off the slick riverbank.

It took me a few minutes but I finally got my self back up after completely muddying the back part of my dress. Making my way back home I passed through the once countryside that was now a bustling computer-city everyone but me walking around with their fancy 6D goggle or whatever were called seeing the city but not really seeing it. I saw as it truly was, a claustrophobic impersonal grey concrete jungle, but they saw it however they liked, and were as famous or infamous as they wanted while being in their own little world completely oblivious to the real world around them.

After the forty minute walk home I found it to have it's usual occupants: my four grandsons (Koji 7, Yamato 8, Koichi 6, and Kenji 4) there with my two now grown-up daughters Riesa and Lin, already there waiting for me to babysit while Riesa and Lin went to work the evening shift at the power plant.

"Down at the river again, Mother? You're going to catch your death one day down there, you know." my daughter Lin said, reminding me ever so much of my friend in the spirit world she was named for

"Oh hush you, I've been there nearly eighty years and have never suffered as terribly as you claim. Now off before you miss your shift. Mr. Morioka won't be pleased if you're late" I replied shooing them out the door

Leaving the children with their 'thumb-axes' as I was so properly corrected by little Kenji downstairs watching a movie I changed into dry clothes, pausing only for a moment to rub the shoe Haku returned to me that fateful day. I couldn't help but think of my late husband, Hayao Sato. He was a kind, if highly sensible man. He didn't much tolerate, nor understand my flights of fancy, but hardly anyone did. But we learned to live with each other- Him pretending not to notice my daily trips to the river, and my learning to keep my mouth shut about the spirits I saw from the corner of my eye.

Suddenly the doorbell rang and I heard one of the children run to get it. I hurriedly dried my hair and hobbled down the stairs to find all four of my grandchildren standing at the door staring at something.

"What did I tell you all about opening the door and talking to strangers?" I started to scold then but then stopped dead when I saw who at the door. I clutched the cane as I felt myself start to go into shock when I saw him. "You bastard." I said before I punched him in the face 


End file.
